Cam Speaks And Performs At TEDx Talks

Grammy nominated country singer and songwriter Cam delivered a TEDx Talk and performance on January 21st for the TEDxUniversityofNevada conference in front of a live audience in Reno, NV. The talk is entitled ‘Life Can Be Tough. Music Can Help.’

Initially TEDx’s event coordinator, Dr. Bret Simmons, reached out to the country superstar to appear as a performer but upon learning she has worked in psychology labs at both Stanford and Berkeley, he invited her to take the speaker’s stage as well to discuss her firsthand knowledge of the power music has on the human condition.

“It only lasted about 11 minutes… but I was more terrified than I’ve ever been in my life. To share knowledge publicly means I had to first believe that I have knowledge worth sharing (and questioning myself is pretty much my superpower),” said Cam. “Then came the task of crafting a speech (NOT a song. Very different, for the record) that could help people see the world in a new way: A world that is full of music and has always been full of music. Why that’s not an accident. How we need music on a basic human level. It’s not new information, but it’s just often forgotten that music is an essential part of our humanity. I couldn’t let people miss out on that understanding.”

During the conference Cam also performed three songs off of her debut album, Untamed and spoke about the emotional inspiration that was involved in the making of those songs (“Burning House,” “Runaway Train,” and “Village”), reiterating that “Life Can Be Tough, Music Can Help.”

Cam closed her speech with the following message to the audience:

“Are you getting the most you can out of music? I really want to remind you that music is not just the background at a shopping mall, it’s not just weekend entertainment. It’s a tool that our species developed to help us heal ourselves and soothe our souls. Music carries the burden of our heartbreak. It allows us to process grief. It reminds us that good things are coming and it lets us know that we are not struggling alone. So let music do its job. Life can be tough, Music can help.”

Cam is currently in the process of writing and recording her second studio album. She is also headed to the ACM Awards in Las Vegas, airing April 2 where she is nominated for New Female Vocalist Of The Year. Shortly after on April 7 she kicks off as the opener for George Strait’s residency in Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena that runs through December 2017.